English Learners

Students identified as ELs require assistance with language acquisition (though more than 40 percent of identified ELs are born in the United States). Some ELs may need help integrating into U.S. culture. All immigrants are not necessarily ELs, as some are fluent in English, while others speak little or no English.

Program Models

District EL Program Description Worksheet [DOC, 75KB]:
This document serves as a worksheet to determine the particular English Instructional Program model(s) employed in your district/school and to ensure that the program model(s) are comprehensively designed and implemented with respect to current research. Any given district may have more than one model in place, so it may be necessary to evaluate programs by school.

Introduction and Scope of the Toolkit

This toolkit illustrates highlights of the Federal Guidance provided by the Department of Education, in addition to the administration of the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act, also known as Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (Title III).

The scope of the toolkit is to guide school districts, professionals, parents, and all stakeholders in the state of Rhode Island to meet their obligations to ensure that English Learner students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs and services.

The information contained in this toolkit is published with the intent to support implementation of English Language services, they are in no way exhaustive and are meant to expand the support network provided by the Rhode Island Department of Education.

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) may choose to use some of the forms and templates provided if so they desire, or create local forms that better mirror their districts’ needs.

If a parent or guardian reports a language other than English in any of the first three questions of the survey, a language screening assessment should be administered, regardless of the additional information provided.

"Newcomers” refers to any foreign-born students and their families who have recently arrived in the United States.
Throughout our country’s history, people from around the world have immigrated to the United States to start a new life, bringing their customs, religions, and languages with them. The United States is, to a great extent, a nation of immigrants.
Newcomers play an important role in weaving our nation’s social and economic fabric, and U.S. schools play an important role in helping newcomers adapt and contribute as they integrate into American society.

Dual Language Programs (or Two Way Immersion) are programs in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages

The Rhode Island Department of Education recognizes that speaking, reading, writing, and understanding multiple languages are important 21st century skills for an increasingly global society. The benefits of knowing two languages are many and carry with them educational, economic, cognitive, and socio-cultural advantages. Proficiency in multiple languages permits individuals to expand their world because it permits them to communicate with members of other cultural groups.

Currently in Rhode Island, there are six dual language programs: French-American School of Rhode Island (Providence) , International Charter School (Pawtucket), Leviton Dual Language School (Providence), Veterans Memorial Elementary School (Central Falls), Peacedale Elementary School and West Kingston Elementary School (South Kingstown), and Nathanial Greene Elementary School (Pawtucket).

Purpose

The Rhode Island LEP/EL Advisory Council is an active group of stakeholders who provide a voice for all English Learners to advise the Commissioner of Education at the Rhode Island Department of Education on all things related to the education of this important and unique group of students. Our goal is to ensure that ELs receive superior educational services enabling each learner to achieve optimum success throughout their school careers and to be college and career ready following graduation from Rhode Island schools.

Meeting Dates

All meetings begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. (6:00-6:30 sign-in) and will adjourn at 8:00 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.

Council Members

Professional Development

Professional Development Calendar: This support is designed to build the capacity of EL teachers, general educator, and administrators to improve the achievement of English Learners (ELs). These training sessions also meet the requirements for EL PD for all teachers contained in R.I.G.L. 16-54-2 sec. L-4-12. State-offered professional development workshops are free of charge to all public school employees.

World Class Instruction Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium

WIDA is a mission-driven, state university-based organization. Its mission is to advance academic language development and academic achievement for children and youth who are culturally and linguistically diverse through high quality standards, assessments, research, and professional learning for educators.

ACCESS® for ELLs 2.0

Rhode Island requires that the English language proficiency (ELP) of all English language learners (ELs) be measured annually with the ACCESS for ELs.

Rhode Island utilizes the ACCESS for ELs to annually measure the English language proficiency (ELP) of ELLs across the state. Districts utilize the WIDA SCREENER to screen the English language proficiency of newly enrolling students identified as potential ELLs. This screening tool is aligned to the WIDA Summative ELP Standards and the ACCESS for ELs. It produces a proficiency score that helps schools provide ELL students with the most appropriate instruction for their English proficiency level.

Home Language Survey

If a parent or guardian reports a language other than English in any of the first three questions of the survey, a language screening assessment should be administered, regardless of the additional information provided.

RIDE aims to support schools and families working together to achieve greater outcomes for their English Learners (EL).

Here we have included resources for both families and educators to use to guide their path to improving outcomes for ELs in Rhode Island. Feel free to ask your child’s school parent or family engagement coordinator for more information about working together to help your child(ren) succeed!

Educational Bilingual Sites / Sitios educativos bilingües

As administrators, principals, teachers, or second-shift educators, we have the onus to reach out to families of all backgrounds. We have listed a few websites as stepping points to creating partnerships with families in our schools.

Cross Cultural Development Educational Services (CCDES) - This site includes free downloads of articles by national authorities in cross-cultural, bilingual and special education; activities from trainings and college courses; archived CCDES newsletters; syllabi for Dr. Collier's presentations and graduate courses; handout sets for CCDES presentations at conferences and universities and helpful links.

Information and Research on ELLs

IRIS Center Diversity Tools - The IRIS Center has several modules, activities, infobriefs, and case studies on Diversity including topics such as Culture, ELLs, and Disproportionality. In the Resource Locator Tool found here choose Diversity from the menu and click "all materials" for a full listing of available items. Be sure to explore other topics, such as behavior, where some modules are available in Spanish.

Translation and Interpretation Services

This section provides information on requesting outside agencies to help fulfill the translation and interpretation needs a school district may not otherwise be able to.

This facilitates communication with non-English speaking or limited English proficiency families in our schools. Here is a brief overview of the services available to your district:

Translation: This is primarily for written communications. Common uses might include report cards, information about ELL instruction, announcements of school events, and other communications sent home to families.

On-site interpretation: This form of interpretation can be used for meetings concerning parents such as parent teacher conferences, school events, and parent teacher organizations.

Phone interpretation: Phone interpretation can be used for calls home concerning the student or meetings that otherwise cannot be completed at the school site.

Video remote interpretation: Video remote interpretation is interpretation through web cameras or video phones. This is especially useful if sign language is required.

The cost of translation and interpretation services vary by several factors:

Duration of appointment

Languages in which services are provided

Due date and timeliness of request

Technicality of document content

Outside agencies are used to help meet translation and interpretation needs not met by district resources. They are able to provide language expertise through various formats that may not otherwise be available.

Rates

On site interpretation: $45-$165 per hour (Some agencies charge for travel time - be sure to inquire about different policies when requesting a service).

Phone interpretation: $0.85-$2/minute with the Center for Southeast Asians asking for $20 per phone call

Translation (written): $0.13-$0.35/word with the Center for Southeast Asians asking for $0.50-$0.60/page

Video Remote Interpretation: $2-$6.99/minute

For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Rhode Island Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides interpretation services rates vary depending on the years of experience as well as the conditions the interpreter is called under (emergency, deaf-blind) as well as the travel time.

Rates for ASL Interpretation

On site interpretation: $45-$125 per hour

Video Remote Interpretation: $3-$6.99 per minute

Funding

Please note that Title I or other supplemental funds may be used for interpretation/translation services that extend above and beyond these basic service needs.

Foreign Transcript Review Guide

The Foreign Transcript Review Guide is intended as a reference tool for districts to assist school staff members with evaluating foreign transcripts for students newly enrolling from other countries.

It was adapted from guidance produced by the Office of Youth Development and School-Community Services (OYDSCS) of the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

World Education Services

A credential evaluation is a comparison of your academic accomplishments to standards in the U.S. or Canada. This report helps institutions like schools, employers, licensing boards, or immigration authorities better understand your educational background.

Foreign Credits – Credential Evaluation

Asylees

Individuals who, on their own, travel to the United States and subsequently apply for or receive a grant of asylum. Asylees do not enter the United States as refugees. They may enter as students, tourists, or businessmen, or with “undocumented” status (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.a).

Dual Language Learners

The Head Start Act uses the term “limited English proficient” and defines the population broadly to encompass a wide range of children, including those exposed to a language other than English, those whose native language is not English, and those with limited skills in English. Specifically, section 637 of the law defines the child who is limited English proficient as one:(A) (i) who was not born& in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English(ii) (I) who is a Native American (as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), an Alaska Native, or a native resident of an outlying area (as defined in such section 9101); and(II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the child’s level of English language proficiency; or(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and(B) whose difficulties in speaking or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny such child —(i) the ability to successfully achieve in a classroom in which the language of instruction is English; or(ii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

English Learners with Disabilities

The phrase “English learners with disabilities” refers to English learners who are also “children with disabilities” under the IDEA, as defined in Section 602(3) of that Act and 34 CFR §300.8 . (ESEA Section 3201(4))

Foreign Born

People who are not U.S. citizens at birth (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Title IX - SEC. 901. GENERAL PROVISIONS. SEC. 9101. “(25)

Limited English Proficient

The term limited English proficient', when used with respect to an individual, means an individual:(A) who is aged 3 through 21;(B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;(C) (i) who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;(ii) (I) who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and(II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and(D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual —(i) the ability to meet the State's proficient level of achievement on State assessments described in section 1111(b)(3);(ii) the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or(iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

Long-term English Learner

The ESEA does not define “long-term English learner.” However, the reporting requirement under ESEA Section 3121(a)(6) may be instructive in determining which ELs served under Title III are long-term ELs. […] Reporting requirement in ESEA Section 3121(a)(6), States and LEAs may consider ELs who have not attained English language proficiency after five years as long-term ELs .

New American

An all-encompassing term that includes foreign-born individuals (and their children and families) who seek to become fully integrated into their new community in the United States (White House Task Force on New Americans, 2015).

Newcomer

This is an umbrella term that includes various categories of immigrants who are born outside of the United States and have recently arrived in the United States.

Refugee

A refugee is a person who has fled his or her country of origin because of past persecution or a fear of future persecution based upon race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2015).

Student with Interrupted (or Limited) Formal Education (SIFE / SLIFE)

Students in grades four through 12 who have experienced disruptions in their educations in their native countries and/or the United States, and/or are unfamiliar with the culture of schooling (Calderón, 2008). Students who have recently immigrated to the United States who may have had little or interrupted formal education.

Unaccompanied Youth Children

Children who come into the United States from other countries without an adult guardian (U.S. Department of Health an Human Services, n.d.b.).

“Education should work to transform the quality of each person’s life, the environment, the community, the whole society.”